Lupio displays skills at national showcase

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ochelle Lupio received the chance to take the first major step to playing softball at the next level. And she took full advantage of it.

The Porterville High senior was invited to the Las Vegas Softball Showcase, a camp in which head coaches and assistant coaches from at least 25 Division I programs from across the country came to scout players who could potentially play at the next level. Schools represented at the showcase included Penn State, Oregon, Florida, Colorado and South Carolina. Lupio participated in the camp held on Dec. 20 and 21.

On the first day, the players were put through a five-hour practice session which included drills to measure the participants’ skills. On the second day, the players participated in two games. Lupio worked out mostly at her main position, catcher, but also worked out some at another position she could play at the next level, third base, during the two days.

While Lupio received an excellent appraisal of her ability, it was also honest. Lupio was basically told after playing at a junior college, she could develop into a Division I player.

The coaches that attended the showcase not only were there to evaluate the players, they were there to conduct the showcase as well. “All of the coaches were hands on,” Lupio said.

After her team finished playing its game on the second day, Lupio was the only player from her team pulled aside by a coach from South Carolina. Lupio said she was told by the coach, “I did have a lot of potential to go to the next level.”

Lupio said she was told by the coach she should go to a junior college “where I could blossom.” Lupio said the coach also told her she could blossom into a Division I player at a JC.

“My evaluation was very good,” said Lupio about the review she received after the showcase was over.

Lupio is an outstanding three-sport standout at PHS as she also plays volleyball and soccer. She was an all-East Yosemite League first team goalie last season and made the all-EYL second team in softball last spring.

Lupio is an outstanding defensive catcher with a strong arm. “My defense was fine as usual,” said Lupio about her performance at the showcase.

She had a chance to show off her outstanding arm during one of the drills at the showcase in which the time it takes to catch the ball and to throw it to second base was measured. From the time she caught the ball to when he throw made it to second, Lupio’s time was in the 1.9-second range. Any time that’s 1.9 seconds or below is considered excellent.

“I was very honored,” said Lupio about being invited to the show

R

ochelle Lupio received the chance to take the first major step to playing softball at the next level. And she took full advantage of it.

The Porterville High senior was invited to the Las Vegas Softball Showcase, a camp in which head coaches and assistant coaches from at least 25 Division I programs from across the country came to scout players who could potentially play at the next level. Schools represented at the showcase included Penn State, Oregon, Florida, Colorado and South Carolina. Lupio participated in the camp held on Dec. 20 and 21.

On the first day, the players were put through a five-hour practice session which included drills to measure the participants’ skills. On the second day, the players participated in two games. Lupio worked out mostly at her main position, catcher, but also worked out some at another position she could play at the next level, third base, during the two days.

While Lupio received an excellent appraisal of her ability, it was also honest. Lupio was basically told after playing at a junior college, she could develop into a Division I player.

The coaches that attended the showcase not only were there to evaluate the players, they were there to conduct the showcase as well. “All of the coaches were hands on,” Lupio said.

After her team finished playing its game on the second day, Lupio was the only player from her team pulled aside by a coach from South Carolina. Lupio said she was told by the coach, “I did have a lot of potential to go to the next level.”

Lupio said she was told by the coach she should go to a junior college “where I could blossom.”

Lupio said the coach also told her she could blossom into a Division I player at a JC.

“My evaluation was very good,” said Lupio about the review she received after the showcase was over.

Lupio is an outstanding three-sport standout at PHS as she also plays volleyball and soccer.

She was an all-East Yosemite League first team goalie last season and made the all-EYL second team in softball last spring.

Lupio is an outstanding defensive catcher with a strong arm. “My defense was fine as usual,” said Lupio about her performance at the showcase.

She had a chance to show off her outstanding arm during one of the drills at the showcase in which the time it takes to catch the ball and to throw it to second base was measured. From the time she caught the ball to when he throw made it to second, Lupio’s time was in the 1.9-second range. Any time that’s 1.9 seconds or below is considered excellent.

“I was very honored,” said Lupio about being invited to the show. "Just being there was an honor. I tried my best."